Juggernaut

Gandhi was a radical, wrote Jerry Rao
Who moulded conservatism to suit him
Kishen pattanayak died almost unsung
The rebel at heart was most unassuming.

Indu Jain calls for a non-violent army
Neera Chadhoke dreams Civil society
Peoples war-groups are settling for dialogues
World Social Forum is a jamboree now.

Musharaf ditches military solution
The world is one voice against terrorism
Borders are breached by Satellite TV
Oil-pipes and train-lines are knitting the world.

It looks like that portentous End of History
Where the cool law of Mammon reigns supreme
The sun doesn’t set in the on-line exchange
Equity, debt, commodities and what have you.

For de-mat money, the world is its oyster
Silence! M&A talks are in progress
For which democracy is docile courtesan
And all this in the name of liberalism.

So never again say ‘there are alternatives’
Let revolutionaries be pragmatists
Business must flourish in peace and calm
Hail! Economy and technology.

[Sat-021004]